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Traded Pearce Hanley (2007-2016)
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Pearce Hanley 2012 End of Season Review
by PTizzle
2011 review
Senior Games: 22
Goals: 7
Dreamteam: 1816
Supercoach: 1995
Club Best and Fairest votes: 28.5 (3rd)
Image (2012 preseason) courtesy of Mr Ripper
Pearce Hanley: The jig is up (in a good way)
International Rookie (Pick #37 in the 2007 Rookie Draft)
Promoted to the senior list in the 2009 draft (pick 95)
The boy from Meath, by way of Ballaghaderreen and Mayo county, had another year trending upwards in 2012. Much like his 2011 season, he played every game for the year and, after Tadhg Kennelly's retirement, became widely known as the best Irishman currently in the competition.
That's all well and good to say, but saying Hanley is the 'best Irishman' does him a disservice as a footballer. No longer is he the athletic but confused 19 year old of his debut, he's now a hard running half-back/wingman who can break lines and kick long as well as anyone else in the side. On the eve of his 24th birthday, Pearce's 2012 season has established him as an essential part of the Lions going forward.
After Hanley's strong 2011 season, many of the faithful were hoping he could take his game to the next level in 2012. He started well on the way to doing just that, gathering 23 disposals, 6 tackles (equal career high) and 2 goals, including one of the Lions' best for the year with a double feint as Brisbane triumphed in Melbourne. He was named in the afl.com.au team of the week for the first of two appearances he was to have in 2012.
Pearce's skill-set has become a beautiful mix of his Gaelic roots, his athleticism and his rapidly developing and evolving Australian Rules talents. He breaks tackles like few others in the side, is a booming kick and his versatility and speed are dream attributes for a coach to have in a player.
Like nearly all players who seem to be heading towards great things, his growing consistency has been a boon for a young side which often had down periods. He grabbed 4 Brownlow votes this season - the first four of his career and they all came in big wins which he had a big impact on. However nobody could dismiss Pearce as a downhill skier; he recorded the highest possession tally of his career (34) in a 47 point-loss to the Swans and one of the Lions strongest contributors in a belting by Essendon.
However, it isn't perfect. Although he seems to play just as well whether we win or lose, in a few games he went missing in an alarming manner. To Hanley's credit he bounced back strongly, but to gain true consistency and to be a rock for the club he needs to make sure he is always involved. Another issue is the occasional bouts of ill-discipline. There's nothing wrong with a bit of mongrel in a player, but 2012 was the second year running he'd given a disproportionate amount of free kicks away to the opposition.
His aforementioned versatility is certainly something the Lions will be banking on him to solidify over the off-season. With the rise of players like Mitch Golby and Ryan Harwood in his usual half-back spot, Hanley was pushed up the ground, often to devastating effect. Many supporters and, by the evidence shown in games, Michael Voss himself seem to have Hanley booked for a full-time spot on the wing in the future. Indeed, he has all the tools to do so.
Finding it hard to point out glaring flaws in Pearce's game is an absolute credit to him. Looking like such a natural with the ball in hand and taking his game to the next level in 2012 makes it hard to comprehend that this pasty lad from Ireland hasn't been playing the game since he could walk. While he still openly loves his homeland, it's looking very likely that his 50th game this season will be the first of many milestones in his Australian footballing career.
One other milestone occurred for Hanley in the 2011 off-season. Donning the green jersey rather than the maroon and gold, he took to the field for Ireland in the International Rules series. In Ireland's record breaking wins over Australia, Hanley played off centre half-back and was named in the top three players in both tests. As much as he would have enjoyed his time (according to James Polkinghorne he had "a few stories, but to be honest I don't know if I can share them") he was straight back into the Lions pre-season without missing a beat.
There's no doubting 2012 was Hanley's best season for the club, as he finished 3rd in the Merrett-Murray Medal and improved on all of his previous statistical averages. If Hanley can improve at a similar rate of knots from his 2012 season, the future is looking very bright indeed. More and more, this year showed that a strong Hanley is a big part of a strong Brisbane.
by PTizzle
2011 review
Senior Games: 22
Goals: 7
Dreamteam: 1816
Supercoach: 1995
Club Best and Fairest votes: 28.5 (3rd)
Image (2012 preseason) courtesy of Mr Ripper
Pearce Hanley: The jig is up (in a good way)
International Rookie (Pick #37 in the 2007 Rookie Draft)
Promoted to the senior list in the 2009 draft (pick 95)
The boy from Meath, by way of Ballaghaderreen and Mayo county, had another year trending upwards in 2012. Much like his 2011 season, he played every game for the year and, after Tadhg Kennelly's retirement, became widely known as the best Irishman currently in the competition.
That's all well and good to say, but saying Hanley is the 'best Irishman' does him a disservice as a footballer. No longer is he the athletic but confused 19 year old of his debut, he's now a hard running half-back/wingman who can break lines and kick long as well as anyone else in the side. On the eve of his 24th birthday, Pearce's 2012 season has established him as an essential part of the Lions going forward.
After Hanley's strong 2011 season, many of the faithful were hoping he could take his game to the next level in 2012. He started well on the way to doing just that, gathering 23 disposals, 6 tackles (equal career high) and 2 goals, including one of the Lions' best for the year with a double feint as Brisbane triumphed in Melbourne. He was named in the afl.com.au team of the week for the first of two appearances he was to have in 2012.
Pearce's skill-set has become a beautiful mix of his Gaelic roots, his athleticism and his rapidly developing and evolving Australian Rules talents. He breaks tackles like few others in the side, is a booming kick and his versatility and speed are dream attributes for a coach to have in a player.
Like nearly all players who seem to be heading towards great things, his growing consistency has been a boon for a young side which often had down periods. He grabbed 4 Brownlow votes this season - the first four of his career and they all came in big wins which he had a big impact on. However nobody could dismiss Pearce as a downhill skier; he recorded the highest possession tally of his career (34) in a 47 point-loss to the Swans and one of the Lions strongest contributors in a belting by Essendon.
However, it isn't perfect. Although he seems to play just as well whether we win or lose, in a few games he went missing in an alarming manner. To Hanley's credit he bounced back strongly, but to gain true consistency and to be a rock for the club he needs to make sure he is always involved. Another issue is the occasional bouts of ill-discipline. There's nothing wrong with a bit of mongrel in a player, but 2012 was the second year running he'd given a disproportionate amount of free kicks away to the opposition.
His aforementioned versatility is certainly something the Lions will be banking on him to solidify over the off-season. With the rise of players like Mitch Golby and Ryan Harwood in his usual half-back spot, Hanley was pushed up the ground, often to devastating effect. Many supporters and, by the evidence shown in games, Michael Voss himself seem to have Hanley booked for a full-time spot on the wing in the future. Indeed, he has all the tools to do so.
Finding it hard to point out glaring flaws in Pearce's game is an absolute credit to him. Looking like such a natural with the ball in hand and taking his game to the next level in 2012 makes it hard to comprehend that this pasty lad from Ireland hasn't been playing the game since he could walk. While he still openly loves his homeland, it's looking very likely that his 50th game this season will be the first of many milestones in his Australian footballing career.
One other milestone occurred for Hanley in the 2011 off-season. Donning the green jersey rather than the maroon and gold, he took to the field for Ireland in the International Rules series. In Ireland's record breaking wins over Australia, Hanley played off centre half-back and was named in the top three players in both tests. As much as he would have enjoyed his time (according to James Polkinghorne he had "a few stories, but to be honest I don't know if I can share them") he was straight back into the Lions pre-season without missing a beat.
There's no doubting 2012 was Hanley's best season for the club, as he finished 3rd in the Merrett-Murray Medal and improved on all of his previous statistical averages. If Hanley can improve at a similar rate of knots from his 2012 season, the future is looking very bright indeed. More and more, this year showed that a strong Hanley is a big part of a strong Brisbane.
MICKYCONLAN
Team Captain
A dead set champion. One of the most exciting players I've seen.
Teams have started to work out that one of the keys to stopping the Lions is limiting Hanley. It will be interesting to see how he handles that next year as more will jump onboard that idea. A thing that he has over the likes of Shaw is that he can actually do a job defensively so if I was the coach I would just say well if you can't break the tag go back into defence and do a job there and make them work on the counter.
If he can be a bit more consistent next year he should on merit be an AA. He is very close to a gun already with his run and skills.
If he can be a bit more consistent next year he should on merit be an AA. He is very close to a gun already with his run and skills.
whatboutbob
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With Golby back one would think Pearce will move further up the ground.
Agreed, this will also benefit us down back a bit. He can be shocking at times when it comes to 1v1. No discredit to him though, Supremely talent player.
Happy birthday, Pearce
PattyKwasagun
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2012 Highlights:
Grimreepah
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Would like to see him go forward more. Goal kicking is largely a mental thing imo, with some players enjoying the responsibility and others feeling burdened by it. Hanley is very much in the former category, and he has the ability to match.
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He doesn't strike me as particularly good defensively and if he played off the wing he would have less defensive responsibilities and more chances to go forward. I am also hopeful that Docherty could fill the Hanley role down back, and perhaps do the kick-ins based on what they say about his booming kick.
Great vid PK, appreciate it. Some fantastic passages of play.
He was a forward for pretty much all of his gaelic football career Grim which would explain why he loves kicking a goal. I particularly like the natural style he has snapping the ball, off both feet. That's one skill that he definitely brought with him from Ireland.
He was a forward for pretty much all of his gaelic football career Grim which would explain why he loves kicking a goal. I particularly like the natural style he has snapping the ball, off both feet. That's one skill that he definitely brought with him from Ireland.
He demonstrated this pretty effectively with a goal from the right pocket against the Bulldogs at Etihad.
Yeah that was nice alright, he'd find it easier to kick it off his weak leg using that style than the normal kicking technique I would imagine. Probably the opposite for Australian lads
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Different backgrounds, but same outcome. He does love a goal, does Pearce. Cheers for the insight, mate
Harden up, princess
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Grimreepah
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Grimreepah
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Based on the pre-season Hanley will play 2013 in the midfield. Hasn't racked up big stats, but he looks a natural to me. Hope they stick with it even if he isn't dominating straight away.